A couple of weeks ago, my friend Mihai Herman sat me down for an interview. Mihai is a business coach for creative entrepreneurs – and he lives in Romania. He’s young. He’s ambitious. He’s a firecracker. He’s got a social following of more than 30,000, and he’s a regular contributor for the Huffington Post. And what I like most about Mihai is that he’s looking to learn and improve every chance he gets.
In my last two blog posts, I introduced you to some friends of mine – business owners who were blown away by a brutal online review from a high profile client. And how this review started a downward spiral for my friends that resulted in them losing enthusiasm for their business, then losing actual business, and then sliding into a dangerous sea of inactivity.
In the first post, I addressed the inactivity, and what to do when you feel like doing nothing. (You can find it here.)
In the second post, I addressed the issue of how my friends allowed someone or something outside of them to define them — and their brand. (You can find it here.)
And in today’s post, I want to address something less emotional, and more pragmatic:
How do you deal with critics, angry customers, and haters online?
Recently I hosted two live webinars where I talked with hundreds of business owners about the 7 common mistakes I see in branding, and a “Flub-Proof” formula for building a great brand. (You can watch a replay here.)
In the chat box during the webinars, I saw these comments (or iterations of these comment) again and again:
“I don’t have the confidence I need to ask for the business. “
“I need to be more courageous in promoting my brand.”
“I’m afraid to put myself out there.”
Confidence. It’s a loaded word, isn’t it?
Shallow and meaningless.
Looks great on paper, not so interesting in real life…
Just another pretty face.
Skin deep.
Superficial.
Empty. Devoid of character.
Arm candy.
Does this sound like someone you’d hang out with? Make a connection with? Follow to the ends of the Earth? Is this a person you’d share your money with? Invest in? Believe in? Tell your friends about?
Not one bit.
But here’s what’s interesting: I meet brands like this every day.
If you’ve been around my blog, my website or my Facebook page for long, you’ll know that I’m a stickler for strategy. I love a good plan. I’m wild about doing things for a good reason. And where branding is concerned, I don’t make a move without a sound strategy.
But you know what? Oddly enough, this is a very UNCOMMON position in the world of entrepreneurs and small businesses. “Strategy first,” has a bit of a bad rap.
And that’s a shame. Because “strategy first” is really the only way to go.
Every day I watch people – in and outside the world of branding and marketing – pay for tactics and forego strategy. They’ll buy the tangibles (the things they can see and touch) but they won’t invest in the strategy that makes those tactics successful.
Every day on social media – and in reader comments on my blog and in my email inbox – I interact with entrepreneurs who are building their businesses. And I see comments like this:
“I just finished my branding. What do you think of the colors?” or
“I’m trying to decide between three logos, which one resonates with you?” or
“I’m re-branding my website for the fourth time in two years.”
Are you saying these things? Is your brand about logos, colors and fonts? Are you asking for general opinions about visual direction for your brand? Are you “re-branding” again and again to keep things fresh?
Are you BEGINNING the branding process with the visual aspects of the brand?
If you said yes, please stop.
Because you are not helping your business. And you may likely be damaging it.
I was a sophomore at the University of San Diego when I decided to declare my major as English with an Emphasis on Writing. I knew my dad, who was paying my tuition, wouldn’t be completely thrilled. His idea of “career” and mine were two different things.
When I told him about my choice, he said this:
“Writing? That’s great honey. Why don’t you come on down to the dealership and learn the Finance Department… just in case you’re not Hemingway?” (My dad had a way with words.)
How long does it take you to fill in this blank: “I am not ________ enough.”
Or this one: “My business is not __________ enough.”
I’m guessing it took less than a second.
As of late, I’ve been overcome by the power of words.
The current political environment and the division of our country are driven by words.
The holiday shopping season and the frenzy that ensues is created with words.
The rise of the sale of Internet products: words.
The coaching and consulting that has become so prevalent in our society: more words.
Performance reviews, TED Talks, sales pages, op eds, podcasts, elevator speeches, LinkedIn profiles, Tweets, emails, stand-up comedy, and angry rants in the comment section of news blogs: all words.
Most of us have told our children at some point or another that words are just words. “Sticks and stones” and all of that.
But I’m of a different mindset.
I’ve always been moved by the power of the perfectly precise word. Or the carelessly chosen one.
When was the last time you said, “Ooops,” or “Oh, sh&*!” after hitting send? The last time you sent out a letter with a glaring error? Spelled someone’s name wrong? Made a promise you didn’t properly research? Ticked someone off with the way you worded something? Sent something to the wrong person?
If you wear a marketing hat long enough, you’re bound to make some marketing blunders. It happens to the best of us. The real question is: How did you handle it?
